This invention relates to the production of Venetian mosaic or terrazzo surfaces, especially panels for forming floors and for mounting on walls. It may for example be used for the production of decorative surfaces.
The terrazzo technique is often used in making decorative floors. The conventional technique comprises laying a screed of cement, usually hydraulic (Portland) cement, and aggregate in situ on a concrete base. The aggregate usually consists of marble or granite chippings which are often consolidated by rolling before the cement has set. After the cement has set, its upper surface is ground and polished to expose some of the chippings. Both the cement and the chippings can be coloured, thereby producing a decorative effect.
To expose the surface of larger chippings a great deal of grinding is necessary, and obviously this is time consuming and expensive. Also, smaller chippings in the surface layer can be completely lost by grinding to expose the larger chippings. Thus, the pattern of the chippings which will be exposed on grinding (and therefore the overall decorative effect) cannot be predicted in advance of grinding, and there is therefore always a degree of uncertainty as to whether the desired decorative effect will result.